A Conversation with Sustainably Kind’s Ariel Ouziel
This week I was lucky to have a chance to catch up with Ariel Ouziel, founder of Sustainably Kind an organization that is helping consumers as well as organizations improve their sustainable footprint and have a better impact on the planet. Ariel speaks about how she became interested in sustainability and what is so important about being a conscious consumer. Ariel and I agree that in order for our planet to be a safe place for us in the future we need to be better about the choices we as consumers are making every day. The way we “vote with our dollar” will determine what kind of future we arrive at.
What motivated you to get into the sustainability field?
I grew up in the heart of Los Angeles where you see endless amounts of concrete but not much wildlife. One day I had the ability to take a school field trip to the Ballona Wetlands and experience a natural ecosystem. This trip helped me understand my passion for conservation. I feel that humans have a huge effect on this planet, but we have to remember that we are not the only ones relying on it. The idea that we need to make sure to protect the planet not only for us, but all species motivated me towards sustainability.
Could you explain what your organization does and how it makes an impact?
Sustainably Kind works in two ways. First, focusing on helping individuals learn about the mindset behind constant consuming. This consumption mindset has normally been instilled from marketing and society pressures. Then we move towards becoming conscious consumers by taking a step back and asking a series of questions and educating ourselves through understanding the full process of creating an item. This goes through a variety of topics such as materials used, factory effects, companies morals and the quality of the item.
On the company side, I work with brands to evaluate their sustainable business practices through the whole life cycle assessment process in order to see where they can improve. This can include materials being used, packaging, factories, shipment methods and labor rights.
This work has an impact on lowering the amount of resources we are extracting from the earth and end up in the landfill. I also believe that by working with individuals on understanding the history of our mindset of consuming I bring them a more stress free life. This helps clear up the pressure of always needing to purchase unwanted items and financially keep up with that consumption lifestyle.
How do you measure impact? Is that important to your organization?
I think it’s very important to measure impact. But I also measure education and understanding of the issues. I focus a lot on the education of individuals who care about sustainability but might not understand how they can personally make an impact. A fast way individuals can look at their impact is to do a home audit. This allows you to see what is coming into your house and what is going out. You might notice a trend that you didn’t expect, but this helps you understand how to improve. I also believe we can measure impact by the trends in corporations. In 2021 you see a trend of larger corporations creating more sustainable product options. This trend is in large part due to consumers requiring these changes. It has been shown that if a product is marketed as “sustainable” it will sell at a rate of 5.6 times higher. Companies, whether they truly care or not, will change the way they make the product to increase profits.
What are your views on consumerism and conscious consumerism?
I think conscious consumerism is a big part of what drives companies to change the way they operate. As mentioned above, in 2021 you can see many trends leaning towards environmental options. Everyday consumers are able to vote for sustainable business practices and products with their dollar. If a brand notices that consumers will purchase or spend more for a sustainable option, they are more likely to move towards that direction. One big example this year is Dove creating a reusable deodorant container.
Other than consumers purchasing sustainable items we also have to remember that conscious consumerism means purchasing less. Conscious consumerism means ignoring advertisements and not giving into marketing but rather deciding if you truly need an item and therefore require new resources being used. Ask yourself if you need a new item, if secondhand will work, or if you can borrow the item from a friend?
What would you recommend to consumers in order to become more sustainable?
Purchase less! Ask yourself if you really need the new item. Today we are all sent personalized ads based on our past purchases and clicks. We need to recognize that companies are trying to convince us to purchase items we don’t need. I hope more consumers realize the most sustainable option is not purchasing new items and not using new resources. But if you do need an item ask yourself if you can purchase second hand or borrow it. Many times, after second guessing if you need the item you are less likely to purchase it.
Similarly, rather than spending money on items or getting gifts to show your love or celebration for someone choose experiences over things. Do something with your friends and family. Go for a hike, go to a concert (hopefully this will be an option again soon), visit a national park, go bowling or anything else but remember that a new item that will sit in the closet is not sustainable.
What do you think should be prioritized? Sustainability or social impact when making a purchase? (like fair trade and shopping local vs reduced waste and reusable products)
I think these go together. A lot of times fair trade is a more sustainable option because the company follows stricter and more sustainable practices. There is no one right answer here. Each item might require a different practice. For example, with chocolate, I think it’s more important to look for fair trade than local as that type of crop requires a specific region and temperature to be grown in.
I also think it’s important to recognize that each person needs to choose what is more important to them or do-able for their lifestyle. Some reusable products might be more expensive but maybe a local plastic packaged item is in your price range. Sustainable options are not always accessible to the general public so as long as you do what fits your budget that is a win.
Who’s responsibility do you think it is to improve the economy? Government, Corporations, consumers or all of the above?
All of the above. No one organization can fix the problem and get us to net zero. We need governments to put into place regulations. We need consumers to demand sustainable options. We need corporations to help push these practices towards normalization. We have one earth, and we all need to work together.
If there is one habit that you could influence every US consumer to do tomorrow, what would it be?
Consume less and try to move towards a circular economy.
You can find Ariel and Sustainably Kind on Linkedin or her website.
Ariel Ouziel https://www.linkedin.com/in/arielouziel/
Sustainably Kind https://www.sustainablykind.com
